Last week my '97 f-150 MT 4x4 starting making this horrible grinding noise in the front end. Simultaneously, the 4x4 light would come come on. After reading on a few forums I found others had experienced this problem and attributed it to a faulty transfer case mode switch. I replaced it with a new one from the local dealer and so far the grinding noise has not returned but now the 4x4 light on the dash won't go out. The truck is seeming going from two to four wheel drive just fine but the indicator light says its always in 4wd mode.

Any ideas? I tried disconneting the battery for about 20 minutes to see if resetting the computer would help but the light is still on. Thanks.

 

A manual lever shift? If so disconnect the new switch and see if the light goes out. The switch actually grounds the circuits to signal the GEM to turn on the indicator lights in the instrument cluster. If unplugging the switch turns out the light then the switch is defective. If it stays on you may have a short to ground or a defective GEM.

JMC

 

I tried disconnecting the new switch but the 4x4 light still stays on. Forgive my ignorance but what the GEM and is it expensive? Incidently, I now can't get the truck into FWD low. FWD high seems to work ok but when I try shifting into low (it is a manual level shift) it barely goes in but then pops out after traveling just a few feet. Have I messed up something with the original grinding noise? It seems to coincedental to be a problem with the shift lever linkage.

Thanks.